Afghanistan

Lord Triesman: I wish to inform the House that my right honourable friend the Prime Minister and His Excellency Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, signed a Joint Declaration of an Enduring Relationship between the UK and Afghanistan on 19 July, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

Better Regulation Bill

Lord Bassam of Brighton: A copy of the consultation document on proposals for a Better Regulation Bill is today being placed in the House Library and on the website of the Cabinet Office Better Regulation Executive at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/regulation/better–regulation–bill/index.asp.
	The consultation exercise will run from 20 July to 12 October.
	The proposals will make it simpler to remove or amend outdated, unnecessary or over complicated legislation, and make it easier to streamline regulatory structures in the private sector.
	The Bill will also help deliver the Better Regulation Task Force "Less is More" recommendations for administrative burdens reductions and rolling simplification programmes across Whitehall. It will also enable the delivery of some of the Hampton report recommendations for reform of the regulators.

BFPO: Key Targets 2005–06

Lord Drayson: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The key targets have been set for the chief executive of BFPO for the financial year 2005–06. The targets are as follows.
	Key Target 1: To provide a 100 per cent secure defence courier service (DCS) for the carriage of protectively marked material (PMM). This target is broken down into the following sub targets:
	PI1: 100 per cent of packages to reach the required destination.
	PI2: 100 per cent availability of the DCS capability.
	Key Target 2: To provide a secure defence courier service for the carriage of protectively marked material (PMM) operating within timescales for scheduled and special items at not less than 98.7 per cent of that agreed with customers.
	Key Target 3: To provide a resilient and dependable service for the controlled and specialised handling of defence official mails by operating at least 96 per cent of deliveries within scheduled timings, agreed with customers.
	Key Target 4: To meet 96 per cent of the requirements negotiated and agreed with customers for the transit times for delivery and collection at defence mail centres (DMCs). This target is broken down into the following sub targets:
	PI1: 96 per cent of mail delivered to DMC by defence mail service (DMS)/Parcelforce (PF)/ Royal Mail (RM) to be sorted and ready for delivery within one hour and 10 minutes of receipt.
	PI2: 96 per cent of mail delivered to DMCs by DMS/PF/RM to be delivered to local customers the same day.
	PI3: 98 per cent of mail delivered/collected into DMCs from local customers before 15:00 to be sorted within one hour and ten minutes of receipt.
	Key Target 5: To meet 95 per cent of the agreed customer requirement for the movement of private and official mails from BFPO London to authorised overseas destinations within agreed timescales. This target is broken down into the following sub targets:
	PI1: 95.5 per cent or more of deliveries of private and official mail to static locations world-wide (less British Forces Germany) within agreed timescales.
	PI2: 98 per cent or more of deliveries of private and official mail to British Forces Germany within agreed timescales.
	PI3: 93.5 per cent or more of deliveries of private and official mail to operational and exercise locations within agreed timescales.
	PI4: 95.5 per cent or more of deliveries of private and official mail to HM Ships within agreed timescales.
	Key Target 6: Total year-on-year Direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limited cost growth to be no more than defence inflation less 1 per cent. This is an efficiency measure for continuous improvement while maintaining an effective level of service to our customers in accordance with the service level agreements.

Child Support Agency: Progress Report

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (David Blunkett) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	This quarterly report is to update the House on progress of the Child Support Agency. It covers the period from March to June 2005 and contains improved management information. The last report formed part of the Government's response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee's Second Report of the Session 2004–05 and covered performance up to February 2005.
	The agency is currently administering cases under new and old schemes, across two computer systems. At the end of June 2005, the agency's caseload stood at around 1.4 million cases. Of these, 950,000 cases were being administered under the old child support scheme (270,000 of which were on the new computer system having migrated from the old computer system because they were linked in some way to a new application) and 480,000 were being administered under the new scheme. Around 12,000 new scheme cases are being administered clerically as they are unprogressable on the new computer system.
	Since the inception of the new scheme in March 2003 the agency has received 680,000 potential new scheme applications, of which 420,000 have been cleared. The remaining 260,000 are at various stages of the work in progress, representing a marginal reduction since March as a result of efforts by the agency to focus on its backlogs. In addition, there are 78,000 old scheme cases awaiting an assessment, a reduction from 130,000 in June 2004.
	In June 2005, as a result of the agency's intervention, 390,000 parents with care (equating to 520,000 children) were in receipt of maintenance via the collection service, or had a maintenance direct arrangement in place. Despite the problems with the administration of the new scheme the proportion of parents with a new scheme calculation who receive maintenance is higher (54 per cent) than if they had been assessed under the old scheme (46 per cent).
	During the period March 2005 to June 2005 overall agency case compliance remained stable at 70 per cent. This is also the case for old scheme compliance at 72 per cent. New scheme compliance, at 66 per cent in June 2005, has risen from 61 per cent in June 2004.
	As a result of initiatives rolled out since autumn 2004, we are seeing real improvement in case compliance for those cases for which maintenance was calculated from September 2004 onwards. The overall new scheme compliance rate was 66 per cent in June 2005, and, for those new cases calculated in February 2005 (the latest month for which compliance has begun to stabilise for new cases), compliance had reached 78 per cent.
	Trends in cash compliance performance are broadly flat over the period, with overall agency performance at 69 per cent in June 2005. Old and new scheme performance was 72 per cent and 62 per cent respectively with new scheme performance having improved from 50 per cent in June 2004.
	During the quarter ending June 2005 the agency collected maintenance arrears equivalent to 35 per cent of the total amount of unpaid regular maintenance which accrued over the same period. Performance across the quarter has remained unchanged for the old scheme at 40 per cent, with new scheme performance demonstrating further improvement from 22 per cent to 27 per cent (having already risen from 15 per cent in June 2004).
	Accuracy performance is measured cumulatively month-on-month throughout the year. Figures based on the first results of 2005–06 show performance to June of 82 per cent for new scheme and 75 per cent for old scheme.
	While we have seen continuing progress some significant problems remain with the new computer and telephony systems and these continue to slow progress on business recovery. The agency is working closely with EDS to resolve these problems and further IT releases were successfully implemented in December 2004 and May 2005.
	We have always said that no decision will be taken on when to convert old scheme cases until we are confident the new scheme is working well. A new chief executive was appointed in April this year and he has initiated a strategic review of the agency's objectives and operational arrangements. He will report to Ministers in the coming months and we will report to the House in due course.
	
		Summary of Agency Performance to June 2005 -- Table 1: Agency Performance—New applications intake, clearances, work in progress
		
			 New Scheme January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 Scheme to Date—June 20054 
			 Intake 22,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 682,000 
			 Clearances:1&3 16,000 19,000 24,000 24,000 27,000 26,000 419,000 
			 Work in progress2 259,000 265,000 266,000 267,000 265,000 263,000 263,000 
			 Clearances as percentage of intake 69 per cent 78 per cent 95 per cent 97 per cent 108 per cent 106 per cent 60 per cent 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 A case is defined as cleared if a maintenance calculation has been carried out and a payment arrangement between the parent with care and the non resident parent is in place; the case has been closed because the PWC is claiming good cause or is subject to a reduced benefit decision; or the application is identified as being a change of circumstances on an existing case.
	Further changes in the definition of a clearance may be made as further progress is made with the improvement in management information.
	2 Previously, a case was defined as cleared when it had been closed or a maintenance liability had been calculated. Improvements in management information now enable the agency to extend the definition as described above, and thereby provide a more accurate picture of the agency's intake and volumes of new applications work in progress. Further changes in the definition of a clearance may be made as further progress is made with the improvement in management information. 3 Figures exclude cases which have been progressed and cleared clerically. This is because it is not possible to determine how many clerically progressed cases are still included in the agency's work in progress, or were originally included in the intake figures.
	Details of clerically progressed cases are included below:
	
		
			 Scheme to June 2005  
			 Applications Cleared 6,000 
			 Maintenance Calculations 5,000 
			 Closures 1,000 
		
	
	4 While we can give accurate scheme to date information, it is not currently possible to break this down into a monthly time series prior to January 2005 as work to produce this information is still in progress.
	
		Table 2: Agency Performance—Compliance, Arrears & Accuracy
		
			  June 2004 September 2004 December 2004 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 
			 Case Compliance 1
			 Overall Agency 71 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 
			 New Scheme 61 per cent 62 per cent 64 per cent 66 per cent 66 per cent 66 per cent 66 per cent 
			 All Old Scheme 73 per cent 73 per cent 72 per cent 72 per cent 72 per cent 72 per cent 72 per cent 
			 Cash Compliance 1
			 Overall Agency 68 per cent 66 per cent 67 per cent 70 per cent 69 per cent 69 per cent 69 per cent 
			 New Scheme 50 per cent 52 per cent 55 per cent 61 per cent 60 per cent 61 per cent 62 per cent 
			 All Old Scheme 71 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 73 per cent 73 per cent 72 per cent 72 per cent 
			 Quarterly Arrears
			 Overall Agency 30 per cent 28 per cent 29 per cent 34 per cent 34 per cent 34 per cent 35 per cent 
			 New Scheme 15 per cent 16 per cent 18 per cent 22 per cent 22 per cent 24 per cent 27 per cent 
			 All Old Scheme 35 per cent 33 per cent 34 per cent 40 per cent 40 per cent 39 per cent 40 per cent 
			 Accuracy 2
			 New Scheme  83 per cent 78 per cent 75 per cent  88 per cent 82 per cent 
			 All Old Scheme 84 per cent 80 per cent 80 per cent 78 per cent  79 per cent 75 per cent 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Compliance is measured over a quarterly period as opposed to monthly, as it is a less volatile measure of performance in that it smoothes out the impact of events such as bank holidays, late payments and processing details. These figures may be subject to change as more reliable information becomes available.
	2 There are no figures for new scheme for June 2004 or for new and old scheme in April 2005 because no accuracy checks were performed during that month. Accuracy across old scheme cases on both systems has been recorded only since May 2005. Prior to May 2005, accuracy was measured only against those old scheme cases on the old computer system.

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health: Annual Report 2004–05

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Health (Rosie Winterton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The 2004–05 annual report for the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, HC194, was laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library.

Company Law Reform

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My right honourable friend the Minister for Industry and the Regions (Alun Michael) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I would like to draw the attention of the House to the explanatory statement that has been placed in the Libraries of the House on the subject of company law reform. This statement is also available at www.dti.gov.uk/cld/facts/clr.htm.
	The Government's approach to the development of their proposals in this area has been extremely inclusive, and I am very grateful for the support and input of those who have contributed to the various consultation exercises. This is the final phase of our consultation process providing an opportunity for stakeholders to comment on some further aspects on our planned Company Law Reform Bill.
	In addition to giving additional detail on how we will give expression to the policies set out in our White Paper Company Law Reform (March 2005) the explanatory statement explains how we will take forward elements of the proposed EC Directive on audit and provisions for the oversight of the actuarial profession announced in the Budget.
	We intend to place further detail on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/cld/facts/clr.htm as it becomes available.

Criminal Records Bureau: Annual Report and Accounts 2004–05

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Andy Burnham) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I announce that copies of that the 2004–05 annual report and accounts for the Criminal Records Bureau have been placed in the Library of the House today. Arrangements are now in hand for their publication.

Gateways to the Professions

Lord Adonis: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education (Bill Rammell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am able to inform the House that the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Ruth Kelly, has received a copy of Sir Alan Langlands' report examining the gateways to the professions.
	Sir Alan Langlands was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Charles Clarke) last year, following the debate on the Higher Education Bill, to act as an independent person to oversee the report. The announcement about his appointment and the terms of reference was made in a statement to the House on 12 February 2004. Sir Alan was asked to examine how the public sector and the professions can sustain and improve recruitment opportunities for graduates, especially those who do not qualify for the full £3,000 support that will be available in grants and bursaries under our plans to introduce variable fees from 2006. He was asked to put forward recommendations on actions that can be taken by employing organisations to provide clear and accessible gateways for all graduates who want to pursue such careers and which will benefit the recruitment needs of these sectors.
	Sir Alan formally started his work on 1 July 2004, following Royal Assent of the Higher Education Bill, and I am extremely grateful to him for submitting his report within the timescale agreed. Sir Alan has agreed that his report should be published, along with the Government's response, in the autumn.

Hong Kong

Lord Triesman: The latest report on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong was published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. A copy of the report is also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk. The report covers the period from 1 January to 30 June 2005 and includes a foreword by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Jack Straw). I commend the report to the House.

Independent Assessor of Military Complaints

Lord Rooker: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Shaun Woodward) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I have today arranged for copies of Jim McDonald's annual report for 2004 to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The report of the independent assessor continues to provide valuable reassurances to both the public and the Government that the Army's complaints procedures stand scrutiny. I welcome Mr McDonald's report and I will consider it carefully. I will respond in due course.

Iraq: Service Personnel Prosecutions

Lord Goldsmith: In the Written Statement of 19 July 2005 (Official Report, Col. WS 80), I informed the House that four British servicemen had been charged with manslaughter, following the alleged unlawful killing of Ahmed Jabar Kareem in Basra on 8 May 2003.
	The Statement named three servicemen. I can now inform the House that the fourth serviceman, Lance Corporal James Stephen Cooke (21) with the Irish Guards, has now been told of the charge against him.

Legal Services Commission: Annual Report 2004–05

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has today published its annual report for the financial year 2004–05 which includes its statement of annual accounts.
	Paragraph 14 of Schedule 1 to the Access to Justice Act 1999 requires the Legal Services Commission to provide to the Secretary of State, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, a report on how it has:
	funded services from the Community Legal Service (CLS) Fund;
	funded services as part of the Criminal Defence Service (CDS); and
	exercised its other functions.
	Paragraph 14(3) requires the Secretary of State to lay a copy of the annual report before each House of Parliament, and for the LSC to publish it.

MCSI Inspection of Court Services: Annual Report 2004–05

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The MCSI Inspection of Court Services Annual Report for 2004–05 has been laid before Parliament today. This document gives full details of MCSI's performance for that year. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Military Aircraft Noise

Lord Drayson: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Don Touhig) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The House will be aware from recent adjournment debates that military flying activity is essential if we are to maintain operational capability. However, we also take our commitment to minimise, as far is reasonably practicable, the impact of noise on local communities. We have therefore conducted a study on aircraft environmental noise. The report is today being placed in the Library of the House and is published on the Ministry of Defence website at www.mod.uk/linked–files/dsc/env/aen–report.pdf. We will continue to strive for a fair balance between our need to fly and the effect of aircraft noise on local communities.

Military Low-flying Aircraft

Lord Drayson: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence (Don Touhig) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The amount of low-flying training carried out in the UK low-flying system (UKLFS) during the training year April 2004 to March 2005 was the minimum required for aircrew to reach and maintain their ability to fly at low level. The number of low flying training hours booked in the UKLFS (excluding the rotary wing dedicated user areas, where different booking arrangements apply) was 46,678 hours, a slight increase of 1,616 hours in comparison with the previous training year. This increase can be mostly attributed to the need by helicopter aircrew to convert to use of the Apache Attack helicopter, and the Merlin helicopter. The level of operational low flying by fixed wing aircraft reduced by over 25 per cent when compared to the last training year.
	The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring that low flying training across the UK is spread as widely as is practically possible across the UK so that no single area is too burdened. However, due to a variety of reasons, population distribution and geographical and climate restrictions, it is unavoidable that some areas of the country may experience more activity than others.
	I have today placed in the Library of the House a report giving a detailed account of the low flying training that has taken place in the UK low flying system for the training year April 2004 to March 2005.
	Additional copies of The Pattern of Military Low Flying Across the UK 2004/2005 are available on request from the following address:
	Directorate of Air Staff
	Complaints & Enquiries Unit
	Ministry of Defence
	Level 5 Zone H
	Main Building Whitehall
	London SW1A 2HB
	Alternatively it can be viewed on the MoD's website at www.mod.uk/issues/lowflying.

Ministry of Defence: Watchkeeper

Lord Drayson: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Reid) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Networked enabled capability is the way we intend to improve our operational effectiveness on the battlefield through more efficient and effective sharing and exploitation of information by our Armed Forces, both with each other and with our coalition partners. We have recognised that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to contribute significantly though their ability to provide persistent surveillance of the battlefield, providing UK commanders with accurate, timely and high quality imagery to support decision making.
	Last year my predecessor announced the selection of Thales Defence Ltd as the preferred bidder for the Watchkeeper tactical UAV programme. We have now negotiated an affordable solution with the company and I am pleased to announce today that we can move forward to the demonstration and manufacture phase of this important programme, subject to finalisation of a contract with Thales, worth around £700 million. We plan to deliver this capability incrementally from 2010.
	Thales Defence Ltd is an international company directly employing some 11,000 people in the UK. It leads a strong international team including Elbit Systems Ltd, Cubic Defence and Boeing. Thales will lead on systems integration and bring considerable experience in sensors and command and control systems to the programme. Thales has confirmed its intention to complete the bulk of production in the UK, so this announcement is very good news for UK industry. The company estimates that up to 2,000 UK jobs, in Crawley, Leicester and across the UK, will be created or sustained and with export success this could rise further.
	The Watchkeeper system is a new capability that will provide an all-weather, day and night capability. By integrating long endurance unmanned air vehicles, advanced sensor payloads and ground control facilities we will be able to direct surveillance and reconnaissance activities from the ground, putting fewer lives at risk, gather information, enhance our target acquisition ability and cue weapon systems in a hostile environment.
	This decision to fund a contract for the development and manufacture phase of this programme is a major step forward and demonstrates significant progress in the delivery of new capability and the migration towards NEC. Our evaluation of Thales' bid has been extremely thorough and we have engaged fully with the company to ensure we obtain the best value for money and the right equipment for our Armed Forces.

NHS Estates and Facilities Management Development Agency: Annual Report and Accounts 2004–05

Lord Warner: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Health (Jane Kennedy) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	We have received the NHS Estates and Facilities Management Development Agency annual report and accounts 2004–05 and copies have today been laid in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921.
	The report describes the agency's performance against key tasks and targets and incorporates its accounts for that year.
	Copies of the annual report and accounts 2004–05 have been placed in the Library.

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency: Annual Report and Accounts 2004–05

Lord Warner: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Health (Jane Kennedy) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency's annual report and accounts have been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

NHS: Trainers

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Caroline Flint) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	In the White Paper Choosing Health we announced the introduction of health trainers, a new type of personal health support in the public health workforce. From 2006 National Health Service accredited health trainers will be giving support to people who want it in areas of highest need.
	Many people have difficulty in changing to a healthier way of life. There is a great deal of advice and information available and exhortations to change often from distant national bodies and others, but equally often with little recognition of the realities of everyday life. There is support but it is patchy, fragmented and does not fit with their lives. It may be available at the wrong time of day or accessible only to people who speak and read English well, and access is unequal and erratic. Health trainers are designed to address these problems.
	Heath trainers will be visible and accessible to local people through living and working in the communities they serve providing "support from next door". They will engage local people where they are to be found; for example, mothers at the children's centre, customers at the local pharmacy, members of the tenants' association. Their task is to motivate individuals to set personal goals for improving their health, by developing personal health plans using a core set of skills based on health psychology and a good understanding of what works. They will support people to carry out their plans; for example, accompanying a woman to a breast screening appointment; encouraging a teenage mother to go to the children's centre by arranging to meet her; planning a walking route with a fifty-year old man. They will identify barriers with individuals to healthier choices and help find individual solutions by listening, empathising and sharing experiences. They will be able to "signpost" people to local services that can support their healthier choices, through their detailed knowledge of the local area. Health trainers may refer individuals on, but will also encourage, motivate and support them to use what is available; for example, information about the local smoking cessation service, and then go with them to the first session.
	In February, the Government published the cash allocations for the NHS for 2006–07 and 2007–08 including additional cash to help to fund Choosing Health initiatives such as school nurses, community matrons and health trainers.
	Those in greatest need were also allocated more money. In November, the Government announced the creation of 88 spearhead primary care trusts, which are those most in urgent need of action to tackle health deprivation and reduce inequalities in life expectancy and infant mortality. These areas have received a higher level of funding than other areas, making the allocation much fairer.
	Primary care trusts and their partners, especially the spearhead primary care trusts, are planning to recruit, train, and fund health trainers from April 2006 when this funding comes on stream. In preparation for that I am announcing today 12 early adopter partnerships in 2005–06, led by the NHS, to develop and test elements of the recruitment, training and employment package and local models of service provision.
	From September, these early adopters will begin to trial a draft set of core competencies and job descriptions prepared by my department and the sector skills council Skills for Health. The early adopters will identify suitable local people who, for the most part are already carrying out roles with some similarity to health trainers, assess them against the competencies, provide training to address gaps and then deploy them in local communities.
	During 2005–06 we will be providing all early adopters with additional funding to support them in this work and other primary care trusts with funding support totalling £5 million. Every primary care trust which expressed an interest in being an early adopter will receive £25,000 and the early adopters themselves up to £200,000.
	The early adopters have been selected following expressions of interest from over 130 primary care trusts and their local partners. These are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Partnership organisation NHS bodies (all PCTsexcept where shownspearhead PCTs in bold) Other Partners 
			 Bradford District Bradford City, North Bradford, Airedale, South & West Bradford District Health Development Partnerships, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Bradford Vision Bradford Council for Voluntary Service, Keighley Voluntary Services Consortium of Ethnic Minority Organisations, Leeds Metropolitan University. 
			 Thameside & Glossop PCT Tameside & Glossop PCT Tameside College, Tameside 3rd Sector Coalition (local voluntary community sector organisation), vielife (limited company). 
			 SE London Health Trainers Programme South East London Strategic Health Authority Greenwich Teaching PCT,Lambeth PCT, Lewisham PCT, Southwark PCT South East London Research Support Unit/ South Thames Research Network South East London Learning Alliance, London Boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, Lambeth and Southwark Voluntary Action Lewisham, Southwark Action for voluntary organisations London Open College Network 
			 Manchester North, South & Central Manchester PCTs Manchester City Council Manchester Joint Health Unit Manchester Public Health Development Services 
			 Gateshead Health Economy Gateshead Health Trainers Partnership Gateshead Primary Care Trust including the Centre for Enabling Health Improvement Gateshead Council including the Public Service Academy Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust University of Sunderland Age Concern Gateshead College Workers Educational Association North East Change Centre National Primary Care Development Team—Healthy Communities Collaborative Innovation and Development Agency 
			 Hull Health Trainer Partnership Eastern Hull Primary Care Trust; West Hull Primary Care Trust, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust Humber Mental Health Teaching Trust The Quays, PCT Medical Services Humber Teaching PCT consortium; Hull and York Medical School Local Medical Committee—Hull City of Hull Local Strategic Partnership; Hull City Council H.M. Prison Hull; University of Hull; Hull College FE; Preston Road Neighbourhood Development Company Ltd Sure Start; Goodwin Development Trust Ltd; Hull Community Network; North Bank Forum; PPI forum; Hull DOC (Developing our communities); The Warren—Young People 16–25, social exclusion; Age Concern HLC 
			 Kirklees Council and Three PCTs Health Trainer Partnership South and Central Huddersfield Kirklees Council and PCTs Health Trainer Partnership NHS: South and Central Huddersfield PCTs, North Kirklees PCT Partnership: Kirklees Council and Kirklees MC Voluntary Action Kirklees South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority & Workforce Development Confederation Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Public Health Group 
			 Bristol Bristol North PCT, Bristol South and West PCT Bristol City Council University of the West of England (UWE): Faculties of Health and Social Care and Applied Sciences Black Development Agency Knowle West Healthy Living Centre Hartcliffe Health and Environmental Action Group (HHEAG 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country Birmingham and The Black Country SHA Heart of Birmingham, Oldbury and Smethwick, Rowley Regis and Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich, Walsall, Wolverhampton, North Birmingham, South Birmingham, Eastern Birmingham, Solihull, Dudley South and Dudley Castle and Beacon Sport England West Midlands West Midlands Public Health Group Sure Start Friar Park & Mesty Croft Woods West Midlands Deanery Birmingham City Council 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley Public Health Network County Durham & Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority Sedgefield, Langbaurgh, Easington,Durham Dales, Darlington,Durham and Chester le Street, Derwentside, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, North Tees  
			 Derbyshire LAA Partnership North Eastern Derbyshire, Chesterfield, High Peak and Dales, Amber Valley, Erewash, Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire Derbyshire County Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, North Derbyshire Health Promotion Service 
			 Northumberland, Tyne & Wear Public Health Network Newcastle Primary Care Trust, North Tyneside Primary Care Trust, South Tyneside Primary Care Trust, Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust, Northumberland Care Trust Gateshead Community Work Assessment Consortium North East Northumbria University Primary Care Development Centre

Niger

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am very concerned about the deepening nutritional crisis in Niger, and I spoke yesterday to Jan Egeland, the UN's Emergency Relief Co-ordinator about what needs to be done.
	DfID was one of the first donors to respond to the UN Flash Appeal issued in May, when we gave £0.5 million to the World Food Programme. Following a DfID humanitarian assessment mission to Niger, we have now given a further £l.5 million to humanitarian NGOs providing emergency feeding and medical care. Our total contribution (£2 million) is equivalent to 22 per cent of the original UN appeal and will deliver emergency nutritional therapy for up to 30,000 malnourished children, healthcare for up to 700,000 people, and food assistance for up to 250,000 people.
	After a slow start, there is now a substantial humanitarian operation underway. I am urging other donors to work together with the government of Niger and humanitarian agencies to ensure that needs are met and lives are saved as quickly as possible.

Northern Ireland: Fifth Independent Monitoring Commission Report

Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	On 24 May 2005 I laid in Parliament and published the fifth report from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC).
	As required by the agreement that established it, the commission reported on the nature and levels of ongoing paramilitary activity and other criminality including that undertaken by the Ulster Volunteer Force. The commission concluded that the Progressive Unionist Party had not done as much as it should in exerting influence to prevent such activities. The commission recommended that I should continue the financial measures against the Progressive Unionist Party.
	I have considered carefully the IMC's report and I have today written to the Progressive Unionist Party to advise it that I am minded to remove for a period of 12 months the party's entitlement to financial assistance payable to political parties in Northern Ireland. I have provided the PUP with seven days from today to make representations to me. At the end of that period I will take into account any such representations made to me and will reach a final decision.

Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland: Corporate Plan 2005–08 and Business Plan 2005–06

Lord Rooker: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (David Hanson) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I have today arranged for the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland corporate plan 2005–08 and business plan 2005–06 document to be placed in the House Libraries. This document will also be made available on the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland website at www.osni.gov.uk.

Parliamentary Mail Services

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The sorting of incoming parliamentary mail, its preparation for delivery or forwarding, and collection and dispatch of outward mail, have been provided by Royal Mail to both Houses for many years on an informal contractual basis, subject to annual revision in line with rising costs. In 2004 it was decided that, in order to comply with EU procurement rules and to ensure value for money, these mail services would be the subject of a full tender exercise. Following the placing of an advertisement in the Official Journal, and the drafting of a full specification, four companies, including Royal Mail, were invited to tender. The award of the contract to Royal Mail, subject to agreement of detailed contractual terms, is being announced today to the parties concerned. It will run for three years from August 2005. Costs for the service are expected to be between £1 million and £1.5 million a year, shared between both Houses, of which the House of Lords share is 15 per cent.
	The new contract will provide for a significantly enhanced service to Parliament. More mail will be delivered to offices first thing in the morning; the 7 pm collection will apply to all post boxes on the estate; forwarding will be more efficiently handled off-site; and there will be a rigorous and robust set of service standards, with regular service reviews and customer input. The price will be reviewed in line with RPI over years two and three of the contract.
	This contract is quite separate from that for off-site screening of incoming mail, which will from August 2005 be carried out by Pitney Bowes under a separate contract let in 2004. These contracts are also separate from that which governs the provision by Post Office Counters of postal services at its three outlets on the Parliamentary Estate, which is still being negotiated.

Science and Innovation Investment Framework

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Financial Secretary (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	HM Treasury, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education and Skills are today publishing The ten-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework Annual Report 2005. Alongside this, HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department of Trade and Industry are also publishing Supporting growth and innovation: enhancing the R&D tax credit. Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House.

Sexual Health and HIV

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Caroline Flint) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government's response to the Third Report of the House of Commons Health Select Committee, on New Developments in Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Policy, Cm 6649, has been published today.
	Copies have been placed in the Library.

Strategic Arms Controls: Annual Report 2004

Lord Triesman: The 2004 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls will be published at 14:00 today as a Command Paper. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The report includes information on licensing decisions made during 2004 as well as describing UK policy and international developments in export control regimes.
	The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls is an innovation of this Government. Our defence export licensing system is one of the most rigorous and open regimes in the world and the annual report symbolises our commitment to accountability and transparency. Since 2004 the Government have also produced quarterly reports. This will be the Government's eighth annual report (the first report was published in 1997). The report will be available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk and also published through The Stationery Office. This year, due to the increasing volume of information on strategic exports that is being published by the Government, the annual report will be available on a CD-ROM. This CD will also include quarterly reports in 2004, information on licence refusals and further information on trade licences issued.

Strategic Investment Board Limited: Report and Financial Statements 2004–05

Lord Rooker: Copies of the report and financial statements of Strategic Investment Board Limited for the year ended 31 March 2005 incorporating the auditor's report have been deposited in both Libraries of the House.

Terrorism Act 2000

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Charles Clarke) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Lord Carlile of Berriew QC prepared a report on the operation in 2004 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which I laid before the House on 26 May 2005.
	I am grateful to Lord Carlile for his detailed report and I have considered his recommendations fully. Following consultation within my department and with other relevant departments and agencies I am pleased to place my response to Lord Carlile's recommendations in the House Library today.

Training Group Defence Agency: Key Targets 2005–06

Lord Drayson: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Don Touhig) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Commander-in-Chief, Royal Air Force Personnel and Training Command has set the chief executive of the Training Group Defence Agency the following targets for financial year 2005–06:
	Key Target 1
	Output—RAF Initial Flying Training
	To recruit and train the required number of Royal Air Force aircrew to the standards required for entry to operational conversion unit training and other specialist flying training courses.
	To compensate for the variations in the individual pipelines, successful achievement will be assumed if the total number of graduations is within 5 per cent of target requirement. This KT subsumes the need for separate KTs for each of the specialisations. Individual targets continue to be set for each specialisation for the next four years and are monitored through the training group performance management plan.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 Commissioned aircrew Out-turn 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Non-Commissioned Aircrew   Out-turn 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Overall Out-turn 5 per cent of target requirement 
		
	
	Key Target 2
	Output—RAF Initial Ground Training
	To recruit and train the required number of Royal Air Force personnel to the standards required to undertake ground appointments.
	To compensate for variations in the individual recruiting and training pipelines, successful achievement of this target will be assumed if the total number of graduations is plus or minus 5 per cent of the target.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 Overall Out-turn 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Officer Basic Specialist Training 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Airman Basic Specialist Training 5 per cent of target requirement 
		
	
	Key Target 3
	Output—Defence Initial Ground Training
	To train the required number of Royal Navy and Army personnel to the standards required to undertake ground appointments.
	To compensate for variations in the individual recruiting and training pipelines, successful achievement of this target will be assumed if the total number of graduations is plus or minus 5 per cent of the target.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 Overall Out-turn 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Officer Basic Specialist Training 5 per cent of target requirement 
			 Ors Basic Specialist Training 5 per cent of target requirement 
		
	
	Key Target 4
	Output— Defence Flying Training
	To train aircrew of the Royal Navy and Army to standards for entry operational conversion unit training and other specialist flying training courses, as well as providing training places for international students.
	
		
			  Number 
			 RAF 560 
			 RN 164 
			 Army 305 
			 Tri-Service 95 
			 International 111 
			 Total 1,235 
		
	
	Key Target 5
	Output—Defence Ground Training
	To train personnel of the three Services to the standard required for career development and to undertake ground appointments.
	
		
			  Number 
			 RAF 17,077 
			 RN 2,585 
			 Army 7,413 
			 Total 27,075 
		
	
	Key Target 6
	Quality of Output
	To underpin the military effectiveness of the Royal Air Force by the timely provision of military personnel trained to the standards agreed with the agency's customers.
	Key Target 7
	Efficiency
	To reduce the average cost of training by improving first time and overall pass rates.

vCJD

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Caroline Flint) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Further to the Statements made to the House by the then Secretary of State (John Reid) on 17 December 2003 and 16 March 2004 (and the Written Statements of 22 July 2004 and 9 September 2004) concerning variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and blood, I wish to provide a further update on this subject.
	Following cases of possible transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion, we have already put in place a series of precautionary public health measures. These include:
	in December 2003 we put in place arrangements for contacting recipients of blood from donors who went on to develop vCJD so that any necessary action could be taken;
	since April 2004 we have excluded anyone who has received a blood transfusion since January 1980 from donating blood; and
	in September 2004 we announced arrangements to identify and notify patients who had received certain batches of UK manufactured plasma products.
	In the light of further advice I have received from two of my department's expert committees, the CJD Incidents Panel (CJDIP) and the Committee on Microbiological Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (MSBTO), I am now announcing further public health precautions in relation to a small group of blood donors whose blood has been transfused to people who later developed vCJD.
	The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, had asked the expert committees to consider the implications for donors where a recipient of their blood had developed vCJD. The recommendations of the committees are based on an assessment of risk undertaken by the Department of Health's analysts. The risk assessment is being published on the department's website.
	There are 110 donors in the UK whose blood was given to three people who later developed vCJD and for whom this blood might be a possible source of their infection. The advice of the committees is that, although we do not know whether these cases of vCJD could be related to the blood that they received, we should take precautionary steps to inform and support the individual blood donors concerned and to safeguard public health.
	As an extension to the current precautionary measures, these people are being contacted by the National Blood Service and advised not to donate blood, tissues or organs. Current donors from this group of 110 are being contacted today and offered expert advice and support. The National Blood Service will contact the GPs of lapsed donors, that is those who have not donated blood during the past five years, and make arrangements to contact these people as soon as practicable.
	The committees have also advised that the donors in question should be considered at risk of vCJD for wider public health purposes and that the donors and their clinicians should be informed of their risk status and asked to implement the public health precautions currently specified by the CJD Incidents Panel. This means that they should inform doctors, nurses and dentists of their status if they present for surgery or other invasive medical procedures.
	These public health precautionary measures are the same as those applied to any patients considered by the CJDIP to be at risk of vCJD, including the individuals notified following the previous Statements to the House.
	There is another group of people for whom further public health precautions may need to be considered. This group is all the other recipients of blood from the currently identified group of 110 donors (estimated to be up to 3,000 individuals). At present, these people are already excluded from blood donation themselves by the measures implemented in April 2004. I have asked for additional expert advice on this group and I will take further action if necessary.
	Blood donors should be assured that it is not possible to contract vCJD by giving blood. Blood donors are highly committed to helping others and we greatly value their contribution. The NHS depends on their continued commitment to donating blood which saves lives every day in this country.
	The vast majority of the over two million current blood donors will not be involved in this new safety measure and need take no action. However, current and past blood donors who are concerned can contact the National Blood Service helpline on 0845 7711 711.
	People who have received blood donations and other members of the public who are concerned should contact NHS Direct on 0845 850 9850.
	As with our actions to date on the possible transmission of vCJD, we continue to follow a highly precautionary approach.

Wilton Park: Annual Report and Accounts 2004–05

Lord Triesman: Wilton Park is an academically independent executive agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its annual report and accounts for 2004–05 were published today.
	Highlights of the last year include:
	The greatest ever number of conferences held by Wilton Park: 58.
	An increase in the number of overseas conferences, including the first ones held in the Arab world and sub-Saharan Africa.
	Continued high ratings from participants of the value of Wilton Park conferences (although these were slightly below a demanding target).
	
		Wilton Park's performance against agreed targets for 2004–05is shown below.
		
			  2004–05 Target 2004–05 Performance 
			 Total income £3.9 million £3.7 million 
			 Excellent rating for   programmes 57 per cent 54.5 per cent 
			 Excellent rating for   administration 89 per cent 84.2 per cent 
		
	
	Targets for 2005–06 are:
	Target 1: Wilton Park should achieve an average "excellent" rating for its programme higher than the previous year's rating of 54.5 per cent.
	Target 2: The impact of Wilton Park conferences on policy and opinion should receive the positive endorsement of its Academic Council and the FCO.
	Target 3: Wilton Park should recover all its running costs from conference and commercial income. Total planned income for 2005–06 is £4.2 million

Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland: Annual Report and Accounts 2004–05

Lord Rooker: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (David Hanson) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I have placed copies of the Youth Justice Agency's annual report and accounts for 2004–05 in the Libraries of both Houses.
	This is the agency's second annual report since its inception on 1 April 2003. It achieved all eight of its key performance targets and 20 of its 23 development objectives.